Claw

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /klɔː/
• US IPA: /klÉ”/
• cot-caught IPA: /klÉ‘/
• Rhymes: -ɔː

From Middle English clawe, from Old English clawu, from Proto-Germanic *klawō. Compare West Frisian klau, Dutch klauw, German Klaue, Danish klo.

Full definition of claw

Noun

1. A curved, pointed horny nail on each digit of the foot of a mammal, reptile, or bird.
2. A foot equipped with such.
3. The pincer (chela) of a crustacean or other arthropod.
4. A mechanical device resembling a claw, used for gripping or lifting.
5. (botany) A slender appendage or process, formed like a claw, such as the base of petals of the pink.
6. (juggling, uncountable) The act of catching a ball overhand.

Derived terms

• claw hammer
• get one's claws into

From Old English clawian, from clawu.

Verb

1. To scratch or to tear at.
• 2012, John Branch, Snow Fall : The Avalanche at Tunnel CreekUsing her hands like windshield wipers, she tried to flick snow away from her mouth. When she clawed at her chest and neck, the crumbs maddeningly slid back onto her face. She grew claustrophobic.
2. To use the claws to seize, to grip.
3. To use the claws to climb.
4. (juggling) To perform a claw catch.
5. To move with one's fingertips.
• 2011, October 15, Phil McNulty, Liverpool 1 - 1 Man Utd, De Gea was United's hero again within seconds of Hernandez's equaliser, diving to his left to claw away Dirk Kuyt's shot as he got on the end of a superb cross from Stewart Downing.
6. (obsolete) To relieve uneasy feeling, such as an itch, by scratching; hence, to humor or flatter, to court someone.
• 1599, Much Ado About Nothing, by ,I cannot hide what I am: I must be sad when I have cause, and smile at no man's jests; eat when I have stomach, and wait for no man's leisure; sleep when I am drowsy, and tend on no man's business; laugh when I am merry, and claw no man in his humour.
• HollandRich men they claw, soothe up, and flatter; the poor they contemn and despise.
7. (obsolete) To rail at; to scold.
• T. FullerIn the aforesaid preamble, the king fairly claweth the great monasteries, wherein, saith he, religion, thanks be to God, is right well kept and observed; though he claweth them soon after in another acceptation.